The Swanbourne Clinic

Many of our patients loved the fact my cat, Mortimer, thought he was the clinic receptionist. He greeted so many people, sat in their cars, in the summers he joined more than a few people for their massages and treatments via the open windows and above all, every day, he seemed to sense when I was with my last patient of the day and never failed to be there on the doorstep waiting for me to finish work. Today at his grand old age and after a mercifully short decline we said goodbye. We are so sad but remembering what a wonderful life he had and what an amazing character he was.

May I ask a favour? If any of you are in the age group 18-25 or have friends, family in that group, would you be able to complete this survey please for my daughter, Maddi’s, Masters dissertation research please? Feel free to share as she needs a good number of completions for statistical significance

The effect of social media use on the mental health of young people aged 18-25. This survey is looking at the effect of social media on young people aged 18–25 years old.

**THURSDAY RESEARCH MEME**

Todays meme relates to the rider biomechanics.

Horses develop a locomotor strategy to compensate for rider asymmetry. After inducing rider asymmetry by shortening one stirrup (B), we found that horses altered their movement patterns and increased limb loading.

These locomotor strategies reinforce the importance of rider symmetry and correct rider biomechanics.

🤓

www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk/blog/

This is sadly so true. Horses need turn out and they need physical socialisation with other horses.

There is a very sick culture in the horse world being enabled currently.

That is, the prevalence with which we see horse people justifying training methods that are shown to cause harm physically and/or mentally to horses if it brings them success. If they get further ahead in training. If they do well at shows.

Unfortunately, this attitude almost always exists in tandem with people who then justify depriving horses of species specific needs; such as space to roam, social turnout, ad lib access to forage. This is often times on the basis that it is “too risky,” especially when referencing reducing turnout completely, only using tiny paddocks and/or never allowing for social turnout due to “risk.”

This industry is perfectly happy to risk horses in the name of competition, while at the same time refusing to allow for said horses to live normal healthy lives for their “other 23 hours” on the basis of risk.

If a horse blows a tendon due to their training regime or in competition, it’s viewed as a “freak accident” or an unfortunate byproduct of training.

If they do the same in turnout, it’s viewed as an unacceptably high risk, despite horses overwhelmingly seeing greater risk of injury due to the demands of competition.

Riding and competition are only for the humans.

Basic needs of horses, like turnout and socialization, are necessary for their health and happiness.

Under no circumstances should it be so common to find it too risky to allow for our horses to live normal, happy and healthy lives if we are willing to put their health and soundness at risk so we can ride and compete them.

It isn’t the risk if this is the case. It’s the fact that humans are only willing to take risks that they feel directly benefit themselves and will stop at almost nothing to jump through mental gymnastics to justify it.

The funny thing is that horses who are allowed to live species appropriate lives are oftentimes much more sound, less predisposed to injury and easier to deal with in general.

But the massive, sweeping industry wide cognitive dissonance prevents so many of us from seeing this.

I didn’t see it for YEARS and now that I have, I cannot unsee the hypocrisy that I used to engage in and that so many still do.

We need to do better for our horses.

Adequate turnout space, the ability to socialize and have access to hay or grass are bare minimums for horse care.

It shouldn’t be as uncommon as it is to find people willing to provide these bare minimums.

It’s no wonder we have so many aggressive horses who “can’t go out with other horses” when we deprive them of socialization and isolate them from the time of weaning.

I would be cranky too if I was chronically stressed, under stimulated and unable to engage in the very behaviours that brought me happiness.

We can do better, but that starts with realistically looking at what our choices and actions say about us and how they feel to our horses.

Oh we had so much FUN yesterday but lots of hidden learning :-

Madame Fanfare and I had the best time at the Working Equitation clinic yesterday with Lucinda Wynn and Tracy Young Balanced Riding, Dressage, Equitation and Horsemanship. I hadn't appreciated how much "dressage" was involved. It's not just about completing the obstacles - it appears you can get more marks for stylishly failing. It fried my brain having to persuade her ladyship to separately move her shoulders and her quarters sideways and I learned I am much better on board than in hand (🙈). Mucho practice required there. My favourite obstacle was Bert the Bull! You have to pick up a Bloomin long lance from one barrel - stab a hoop on to it and launch it into another barrel javelin style ! Madame's rein back is now a thing of beauty. I particularly enjoyed the sensitivity and lightest of touch and release to instigate the movements. I'm not sure there isn't a horse and rider that would benefit from this. You even get to lead them around first and spook bust!

Observations during showjumping warm-up - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer Alternatively, I could say that I was promoting the concept that comfortable horses are ‘happy’ athletes and providing evidence that they are likely to perform better than horses experiencing discomfort. I also had the opportunity to spend several hours watching the warm-up arena for the showjum...

Hemingway our Christmas Dachshund is greeting patients until Friday 23rd December then we are closed for routine appointments until Wednesday 4th January and he will have a well earned rest with Ernest our real life Dachshund, Bear and Minnie. If you have an emergency over the Christmas break please message me and if I am here I will do an emergency clinic session.

Horsey peeps - whether you are an equine health professional, trainer or interested horse owner - this study into horse pain and behaviour is very interesting. As a professional that has had the privilege of treating both humans and animals for musculoskeletal pain and dis function for 25 years I constantly refer and reflect my findings in one species to that which I find in another. That neurological pain is found in horses with extreme behaviour is no surprise but evidence is better! The words that struck home to me are that changes in ganglion root nerves can be from simple poor posture …. Most severely affected areas found in these horses were where the neck joins the the trunk (cervico thoracic junction) - visualise all the horses we see with a dip in front of the wither, the junction between jaw and neck being a “V” not a “U” , the poll no longer the highest point and think what is being compressed down where their neck vertebrae join their thoracics. Throw away the flippin draw reins, ride from the hind end to a soft accepting hand and if you are tempted (or instructed by a trainer) to go for the short term “fix” of draw reins, gadgets like bunjees, pessoas and their ilk please not only think of the pressure this puts on the cervico thoracic junction but also that “no horse can or will alter its posture or bio mechanics by having straps attached to it”. Just like us - the way to improve posture is by slow correct training, exercises and body work. Show the horse the changes it needs to make, reward it, gradually build up their strength in the correct muscles, improve your posture and skill and prepare to reap years of rewards of a happy comfortable bio mechanically sound horse.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8702524/?fbclid=IwAR0-EfYDcYxh8iJpo1ZbDsYE0Poezeb-dqwT3qCbZCc7vjmIrXWJU-pSaOA

Dangerous Behavior and Intractable Axial Skeletal Pain in Performance Horses: A Possible Role for Ganglioneuritis (14 Cases; 2014–2019) Introduction: Dangerous behavior is considered an undesired trait, often attributed to poor training or bad-tempered horses. Unfortunately, horses with progressive signs of dangerous behavior are often euthanized due to concerns for rider safety and limitations ...

Would you like to win a FREE ticket for our upcoming Conference on Impulsivity and Frustration in Dogs with Helen Zulch?
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Closing date 16th October 2022.
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I like the visuals on this which help to illustrate why so called “training aids” really don’t help horses to move better and actually perpetuate the problems. Sorry to my non horsey page followers!

Both clinic rooms have air-con In addition to the large ceiling fans and French windows so luckily we can all be comfortable over the next few days extreme heat. I suggest people come in long trousers/leggings as sticking to the vinyl covers isn’t the best experience.

Replying to patients messages this afternoon - dedicated chiropractor !! 😂🌞 🌊

This is a good direct way of supporting Ukraine with the items they are prioritising 🇺🇦

Check out my list on Amazon We use cookies and similar tools that are necessary to enable you to make purchases, to enhance your shopping experiences and to provide our services, as detailed in our Cookie Notice. We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so w...

If like me, you are feeling helpless about the war in Ukraine this group are collecting practical aid to support the Ukrainians, the civilian resistance and those injured and displaced. I am happy for people to drop donations here at the clinic and I will transport onwards or there is already a group of people in Stewkley collecting. Happy to forward their details.

Another good reason to visit our local market! All lovely and fresh and a safe outdoor space!

Competition time on Winslow Market.
📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣
All you have to do is like and share this post to be put into the draw for a selection of goodies off the market.
Closing date is Tuesday 21 December with collection of the prize on Wednesday 22 December so you have your goodies for Christmas.
With thanks to the traders for putting together this great selection of quality produce.
Half a crab and king size prawns off Dave
A dozen eggs off Reg🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚
Mix nuts and an olive oil The Good Life Refill
6 mince pies from Nash's Bakery
A wide selection of fruit and veg off Micks stall.🍏🍏🍏🥕🥕🥕🍌🍌🍌
A pantettone from Peppi Matozza
📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📣

Winslow Christmas Fayre THIS THURSDAY 25th November 5.30pm until 8.30pm. Lights switch on at 6pm! 🌲Father Christmas will be there too 🎅

We will be staying open till 9pm. So pop on up to us for some Christmas gift shopping. We have lots of fabulous gift ideas from local makers and Fairtrade gifts too.

Lovely to see trees grown and sold on the farm

Want to WIN a real Christmas tree? 🎄

Simply Like and Share this post and tag a friend in the comments who you would like to visit The Real Christmas Tree farm with.

The winner will be announced on the 1st December 2021.

Good luck everyone! 😁

A useful reminder of what the current usual symptoms of covid are - much more like a head cold at the beginning for most people. LFT are only a guideline - if you have symptoms get a PCR to check. (They are not infallible tho) - if you have a cold it’s prob safest to keep it yourself!

Black lab missing probably between Dunton and Whitchurch